Control device



Feb. 27, 1951 H. v. PUTMAN ET AL CONTROL DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 8, 1945 WITNESSES: 46%

ATTORNEY H. V. PUTMAN ET AL Feb. 27, 1951 CONTROL DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 8, 1945 WITNESSES: 29M.

ATTORNEY Feb. 27, 1951 H. v. PUTMAN ET AL CONTROL DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 8, 1945 Patented Feb. 27, 1951 UNITED STATES OFFICE CONTROL DEVICE Application NovemberB, 1945, Serial No. 627,499

14 Claims.

Our invention relates to devices associated with gyroscopic control apparatus and, more particularly, to the propulsion control and setting control for gyroscopic control apparatus for submersible craft as torpedoes.

Devices for propelling and setting the gyroscopic control for steering a torpedo are well known in the art but with the recent first fairly extensive use of electrically propelled torpedoes, some special problems can for solution.

One broad object of our invention is to reduce the time required for attaining the full speed of the gyroscope.

Another :object is to accelerate the gyro in a torpedo to full speed while the torpedo is being launched.

A more specific object of our invention is to energize the gyro propulsion motor, when .firing the torpedo, the instant :the torpedo :begins to move in the firing tube and to bring it up to full speed in'a relatively small fraction-of asecond.

Another object of our invention is "to effect the full acceleration of the gyro wheel or a torpedo within'the torpedofiring time and to then 'both, deenergize the motor propelling the gyro wheel, and to "declutch the gyro wheel and motor.

A still further broad object of our inventionis to reduce the entire firing time by the provision of setting the gyro from the outside :of both the tu'be'and torpedo housing and "of accelerating the gyro wheel to fullispeed'while'the torpedo -is lie-- ing launched.

The foregoing expressed objects are merely i1- lustrative, and are not in the least to be taken as exhaustive statements of the objects and ad vantages of our invention. Many other objects and advantages will become more readily apparent from a study of the following specification and the appended claims, when made in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure '1 is a diagrammatic showing of the electric control and a schematic showingof some of the mechanical elements c'oacting with the electric control;

*Fig. 2.is a view from the aft region of our control gyro, with certain parts broken away at the left and top, to more clearly show :the construction;

Fig. 3 is a :side Viewfrom the port side, of our control gyro, with the case broken away .andsome other parts broken away to more clearly "illustrate the declutching mechanisms;

Fig. 4 is another side view showing how our device may be reset;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal'sectional view-of certain important details of ourinvention; and

Fig. 6 is a plan view of our device.

To gain a better understanding of the details of our invention, a brief general discussion of the gyroscopic steering of torpedoes and a study of the operation of the electric equipment shown in Fig. 1 may be helpful.

In Fig. l, we show a portion of a torpedo body including the tail-cone I and portions of the after-body 2 and main body 3 of the torpedo. Since the torpedo is electrically propelled, we show a battery B arranged to be connected to the torpedo propulsion motor M. The torpedo has conventional horizontally disposed elevators (depth control rudders) and conventional vertically disposed steering control rudders.

Our invention is primarily concerned with the acceleration of the gyro wheel to full speed, the control of the vertical rudders, and the setting and clutching mechanisms for the gyro wheel.

The vertical rudders are mechanically coupled to the armatures 32 and 40, which are in turn actuated by solenoids 3| and 39, respectively. The gyro, or gyrostat G, to-effect proper steering of the torpedo toward the target, controls the energization of the solenoids 3| and 39.

Normally, during transportation, the rotating assembly of the gyro G is locked in fixed relation to the torpedo and the gyro wheel W is clutched to the gyro motor GM. The gyro wheel W must be at full speed when the torpedo hits the water, that is, is free of the launching devices, and the course must be set. Since battle conditions usual- 1y do not permit any leisurely procedure, it is important that the setting of the course and the acceleration of the gyro wheel take the least possible time without loss of accuracy of the war shot.

In our arrangement, the setting of the course is effected from the outside of the firing tube and thus outside of the torpedo housing, and the gyro wheel is accelerated to full speed of some 12,000 R. P. M. in about thirty turns of the gyro wheel and in a time period short enough to take place while the torpedo is in motion in the firing tube.

When the torpedo is to be fired, the circuits having a bearing on'this invention are as shown in Fig. 1, and the torpedo course determining commutator C will be set on the target with the line of demarcation between the conducting strip 3:! and the strip 33 of insulation pointing in the direction of the target. These strips 33 and 34, are, of course, in a horizontal plane as shown in Fig. 2 and not as shown schematically in Fig. 1.

At the very initial stages of the movement of 3 the torpedo during firing, the dog D on the firing tube operates the trigger switch T to close the contacts and G. A circuit is thereby established from the positive terminal of the battery 13 through conductor 4, contacts 5 and B, conductor 1, the gyro motor GIVL-conductor 8, contacts 9 and I0 of the gyro transfer switch II, and conductor 2 to the negative terminal of the battery.

In the showing made in Fig. l, the assumption has been made that the target is to port by the angle indicated by the setting angle, namely, the angle the contact arm 33 makes with reference to the line of demarcation between the strips 33 and 3A. The assumption is also made that the top of the course setting .ring comprising the strips is on the starboard side of the torpedo and the bottom is at the port side of the torpedo. If the shot is an angle shot at a target to port, then the line of demarcation between the strips 33 and 34 is set' to starboard with reference to contact wheel 35 by an angle equal to the angle to port observed for the target.

For the kind of angle shot assumed, another therefore, does not close its contacts until after the gyro wheel W is up to rated speed and the torpedo is well clear of the outer end of the firing tube. The preferred time of the closure of contacts is an instant before the torpedo is in the water so that the propulsion motor is set in operation at the precise time when the propulsion force is needed. The contactor 23 is shown to be of inductive time limit type and to obtain the requisite time delay the short-circuiting coil 24 is selected to have the required electrical characteristics. This contactor 23 need not necessarily be of the inductive time limit type but may be a time limit contactor of any type.

Operation of the gyro relay l4 closes contacts 58 whereupon a circuit is established from the positive terminal of battery B, conductor I'I, contacts I8, actuating coil [9 of the rudder-solenoid control contactor .26, to the negatively energized conductor I2. Operation of contactor 20 closes contacts 29. The purpose of this operation will become apparent hereinafter.

The gyro motor is of the series direct-current type four-pole machine designed to have a very short time rating, but the time rating by the design is made ample in length so that no motor failure will occur even though it is called upon to accelerate the gyro wheel to full speed of 12,000 R. P. M. in about thirty revolutions and in a time period of .2 to .3 of a second. The motor armature is mountedin the bearings M and 42,

the bearing and shaft design being such that the shaft S has a limited axial movement with reference to the bearings and thus the field structure.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 6, the motor frame F is bolted to the forward end of the frame GF of the gyro assembly, and the aft end of the armature shaft isclutched to the forward end of the shaft of the gyro wheel. Acceleration of the torpedo does thus in no wise alter the clutch engage- '4 e I ment between the motor armature and the gyro wheel.

The forward end of the motor shaft S is, as shown, extendedbeyond the bearing ll and is provided with external threads 43. A nut 4-4 is in threaded engagement with the forward threaded end of the motor armature shafts and is prevented from rotating with the shaft S by the notch 45 in the nut engaging the keyway 16 bolted at its ends to the bearing 4| and an overhanging portion 4! of the motor frame.

Before firing of the torpedo, the nut :34 will be adjusted, by mechanisms described hereinafter, to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 5. As the gyro motor GM accelerates the gyro wheel W, the nut 44 is moved aft on shaft S. In about twentyfour motor shaft revolutions, the nut engages the left-hand end lfl of the bearing. Since the bearing arrests the longitudinal ,movement of the nut and the motor GM is still energized, the motor shaft S will begin to move forward. In six more revolutions, the clutch pins 49 of the clutch disc 50 will have moved completely clear of the pin sockets in the clutch disc 5! so that the gyro motor is uncoupled from the gyro wheel.

During the six revolutions, the clutch disc 50 moves the lever 52 forward, or counter-clockwise about its pivot 53. The counter-clockwise movement of lever 52 releases the spring biased levers 54 and 55 so that they move counter-clockwise and clockwise, respectively.

Counter-clockwise movement of lever 52 releases the spring biased gyro transfer switch I] so that the contact [0 of this switch moves out of engagement with contact9. Interruption of the engagement of contacts 9 and I0 interrupts the energizing circuit for the gyro motor.

Disengagement of contacts 9 and It] occurs just prior to the actuation of contactor 23. Operation of line contactor 23 closes contacts 25 to thus establish an energizing circuit for the torpedo propulsion motor M. This circuit may be traced from the positive battery terminal through contacts 25, conductor 26, field 21, and the motor M to the negatively energized conductor I2. 7

Since the control contactor 20 has at this stage closed the contacts, a circuit is established from the positively energized conductor 2|, through conductor 28, contacts 29, conductor 30, solenoid coil 3! to the negatively energized conductor l2.

At the moment the circuits for the propulsion motor and coil 3] are established the torpedo is probably just landing in the water. At any rate, the rudders and propellers are well clear of the end of the firing tube.

For the angle shot to port heretofore assumed, the solenoid 3| is selected to be the particular one for actuating the armature 3.2 for moving the steering rudders to port. The torpedo is thus moved to port until the commutator segments 33 and 34, fixed with reference to the torpedo, are moved with reference to the small silver wheel 35 on arm 36 until this wheel bears on the segments at the junction of the two halfrings. This point is the theoretically neutral point and the wheel is on this point when the torpedo is on its course. Actually the wheel is on either the metal strip 34 or on the insulation strip 33. The small silver contact wheel 35 offers so very little resistance to the free movement of the outer gimbal that its reaction on the gyro wheel is negligible.

Actually the travel to port of the torpedo .doesmot stop when-the wheelis on the theoretically neutral point but over-travels "so that the wheel 35 at over-travel moves on the conducting strip 34.

As .the torpedo over-travels, "a corrective steering must immediately be effected to bring it back to starboard. Since the wheel at overtravel is on the conducting strip 34, a circuit is now established from the positively energized conductor 1 through the arm 36, the wheel .35, conducting strip 34 to the right-hand junction of resistor l5. The actuating coil [3 'is thus short-circuited and in consequence contacts 18 are opened. Opening of contacts 18 :deenergizes the coil is of contactor 29 with'theresult that contacts 3! are closed. Closure of contacts .3! establishes a circuit from the positively energized conductor 28 through contacts 31, conductor 38, solenoid coil -39 to the negatively energized conductor 12.

The armature 4.0 actuated by coil or solenoid 39 throws the steering rudders to starboard. When the starboard correction has been completed, a port correction follows, and so on. Actually the average course is maintained quite accurately. The maximum angular swing off course at an over-travel will be no more than twenty minutes of arc, or 7r/540 radians, or less than six tho-usandths of a circle.

At the upper portion of the frame GF, we rotatablv r c nt the an ular member 55 on the proiecting hollow stud 51. At the outer periphery of the s eeve-like extension 58, we provide gear teeth 52 for engagement with the worm 60 on shaft El. 63 carrying the bevel gears 64, .85, E6 and 6! shown, the transmission is carried to the shaft 63. The shaft 63 is disposed in the torpedo and the ends are provided with couplings 68 and 69, so that the annular member .56 may be angularly adjusted from the outside of the torpedo at either side of the torpedo. The drive to couplings 68 and 69, being done from the outside of the torpedo, e iminates all chance of any leakage of water into the torpedo at such points.

Mounted on the annular member in fixed relation thereto is the can iii of insula ing material. Rigidly secured to the inner periphery of the cap are the two strips 33 and 3.4, one 33 of insulating material and the other 34 of conducting material. The line of demarcation being the theoretically neutral zone.

Connected to the upper end of the control shaft is the silver wheel 35. The construction being as shown, 'a more detailed description is given in the c'opending case of Henry V. Putman and'Merrill G. Leonard, Serial No. 550,249, filed August 19, 1944, Patent No. 2,419,164, dated April 15, 1947 and entitled Con rol Apparatus.

Disposed on the frame is the index H coacting with graduations 0n the conical surface of the cap 19. This index and the conical surface are visible from the outside of the torpedo through a suitable magnifying window. The exact angle shot for which the'torpedo is set can thus be readily determined by "observing the graduation numeral registering with the index.

If the target is disposed, "say 37 and 39' to port with reference to the longitudinal axis of the'torpedo, then the attendant, from the outside of the torpedo, rotates the cap Hi until the line of demarcation between strips 33 and 34, namely, the zero graduation on the conical surface, is 37 and 30' to starboard. After "the torpedois fired, the gyroscopically controlled steer- By means of the shafts iii, 52 and ing mechanism rotates the torpedo to port by 37 and 30' so that the zero graduation registers with the index I l. The torpedo is then on course.

The locking means for the rotating assembly comprises a generally H -shaped member 12 pivoted to the frame at 13 at the outer lower ends of H-shaped member 52. The upper legs, as I4 and 75, are designed to straddle the outer gimbal ring 18 with a fairly close fit, so that this ring, when member 72 is in looking position, cannot rotate about its trunnions in the frame. Since the gimbal ring it can have a right and a wrong position, it is important that it be made impossible to improperly position member i2 when the gimbal ring it} is .not in the right position. To this end, we provide one quadrant of the ring it with small projections, as i, shown in Fig. 2, at each side of the ring. These projections are in the path of the upper legs of the member 1-2 when ring 56 is in the wrong position. Member 2'2 can thus be positioned correctly to lock ring 76 only when the proper quadrant of the ring faces the upper legs 14 and 1'5 of member E2.

The upper ends of the legs is and iii are provided with lateral projections i8 and 79. These projections carry bolts as shown. These bolts are locked :in such position that the upper ends thereof engage with notches 8B and 8-! .in the gyro wheel housing 82. The notches are at the particular side of the housing so that clutch discs .59 and are in alignment when the bolts in 18 and is and notches 89 and 8! register.

The wrong side of the frame or housing 82 has no notches. The H-shaped member can. therefore, only be rnoved in position to lock the gyro assembly when both the gimbal ring it and the shaft 5 of the gyro wheel are in proper position.

The member 12 (corresponding to the two levers 54 and 55 shown schematically in Fig. ll is normally biased to native out of locking engagement by the tension spring 33 secured to member i2 and the frame. The unlock ng operation, once member i2 .is locking position, cannot .tase place because arm 34 on lever 52 is then disposed in front of shoulder 35. The only way the rotary assembly can be unlocked is after the gyro wheel W is up to speed as heretofore explained.

Thegyro transfer switch comprising the contacts "i and it) shown schematically in Fig. 1 is actually made up of a contact bar 9 provided with the guide rods 8'? and 83 disposed through suitable guide openings in the block of insulation 89 firmly bolted to the gyro frame The rods 3? and 88 are provided with stops at the right, see .6, and a compression spring 9% biases the bar 9' in the forward direction.

The upper end of lever 52 carries contacts 9! and 2 (corresponding to contact if! of Fig. 1) rigidly connected to lever 52. The contacts 3! and '92 are provided with arcing contacts 93 and 9d. ihese arcing contacts are mounted on leafsprings and 9% "which are rather weak in their biasing effect toward contact 9' with reference to "the biasing effect of spring 9?, see Fig. 5. The springs are rather flexible their connection to the contacts 9! and Q2 but are more rigid near their outer ends. Since the contacts I?! and 92 project laterally in close proximity to the contacts 93 and t4. it is apparent that as soon as the contacts -91 and 22 have moved a selected distance, the arcing contacts will be positively moved away from contact 9'. There is thus no likelihood of having the arcing contacts welded to contact 9' by a lingering are. Furthermore, the construction prevents arcing at the arcing contacts prematurely. This function will become clear presently.

The lever 52 is bifurcated in the region of clutch disc 50 and has a roller 98 engaging the groove 98 in collar I00. The lever 52 thus moves positively with any axial movement of clutch disc 58. When the parts are all in the position shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5, the spring biasing effect of the springs 95 and 96 can have no effect whatsoever on the position of contacts s: and $32 on contact 9, but the instant the gyro wheel starts rotating the nut 44 moves away from its abutting position against the externally threaded sleeve ml. The spring Q'i is disposed between the internal shoulder of sleeve iii! and the flange H12 rigidly mounted on the shaft position indicator stem N33. The inner end of this stem rests on the ball bearing $34 inthe end well of the motor shaft. The spring thus biases the clutch disc 59 against clutch disc 5i; 7

The only force available to hold the clutch discs 5!] and 5! in engagement, after nut 44 moves away from its position against the sleeve till, is spring 97 acting against the biasing force of the leaf-springs 95 and 95. It is desirable to have spring 97 rather light to permit ease of I tact 9', but the contacts 93 and 94 would themselves remain in engagement with contact 9. Since contacts 93 and 94 are not designed nor intended to carry the full load current, these contacts would weld themselves to contact 9'.-

By striking a proper balance between the springs 93 and 94 and spring 91, contacts 91 and $2 remain in contact with contact 9 for the time period desired and the arcing contacts perform the function expected of them for just the time period desired.

Since the aft end of the indicator stern H33 rests on ball bearing I 64, it will be apparent that as soon as nut iii! engages the end region #33, the shaft and thus the indicator is moved forward against the bias of spring 91. When the declutching operation is completed, the indicator will be in the position shown in dotted lines. This indicator is important and informs the attendants before any exercise shot or war shot is made whether or not the clutch discs 56 and 5! are in engagement.

If the clutch discs are not in engagement, the attendants know that the gyro assembly is unlocked and that the gyro wheel is not coupled to the motor.

Te reset the gyro assembly, the attendant turns the gimbal ring 75 so that the arms 14 and 15 can straddle the gimbal ring not having the projections l! and turns the gyro wheel housing so that the bolts 18 and J9 register with notches as and 3|. The clutch discs and 5! are now in alignment.

The attendant now pulls outwardly on the knob, or handle, I05 compressing spring I06, and at the same time turning the knob so that the teeth of the worm 10? fall in mesh with the teeth of the worm wheel 508 on the outer periph cry of the clutch disc 5!].

When the knob is thus pulled out and the worm and worm wheels are in mesh, the latch I09 drops down over a smaller diametrical portion of the shaft for the worm N11. The knob thus stays out. By turning the knob in the direction indicated on the frame adjacent the knob, the clutch discs are moved into firm engagement.

When the knob has been turned so that no more rotation of the worm IN can be effected, then the latch N19 is moved up, the spring I06 clicks the worm not out of engagement and the gyro assembly is locked, the motor for the gyro wheel is coupled to the gyro wheel and the gyro assembly is ready for another shot. When the assembly is thus ready for a shot, the knob H0 on the sliding door Ill is moved toward the left to close the gyro housing. 7 While we have shown but one embodiment of our invention, both schematically and in detail, we do not wish to be limited to the particular showing made, but wish to be limited only by the scope of the claims hereto appended.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a control for a torpedo, in combination, a source of electric energy, a motor having an armature mounted on a shaft movable axially from one limiting position to another limiting position, a normally open switch adapted to be operable to closed position by the launching operation of the torpedo for connecting the motor to the source of energy the instant the torpedo begins to move upon firing of the torpedo, a coupling on the shaft, a load coupled to the motor shaft through said coupling, means for axially moving the motor shaft from one limiting position, the instant the motor shaft begins to 1'0- tate, to the other limiting position, and means operable by the movement of the motor shaft to the other limiting position to operate said cou-v pling to thus disconnect the motor load from the motor.

2. In a control for devices on a torpedo, in combination, a source of electric energy, a gyro wheel having a shaft at one end provided with one element of a claw clutch, a motor having an armature mounted on a shaft disposed in bearings in which the shaft has a limited axial movement and one end of the shaft provided with the other element of the claw clutch, means for biasing the motor shaft in a direction to effect engagement of the two elements of the claw clutch whereby rotation of the motor armature shaft drives the.

gyro Wheel, a threaded extension on the motor shaft opposite the end provided with one of the elements of the claw clutch, a nut disposed on the threads, means for preventing rotation of the nut with the motor shaft whereby the nut will upon rotation of the motor shaft be moved axially on the shaft from one limiting position to a limiting position against the shaft bearing to thereafter, upon further rotation of the motor shaft, move the motor shaft axially to cause disengagement of the clutch elements, a trigger switch operable to connect the motor to the source of electric energy during the initial movements of the torpedo at firing of the torpedo, and means operable by the axial movement of the motor shaft for disconnecting the motor from the source of electric energy.

3. In a machine which during normal use moves for a given distance from a condition of rest with rectilinear acceleration, in combination, a load shaft carrying a flywheel, bearings for the,

9 shaft designed to prevent axial movement of the shaft with reference to the bearings, a clutch elementof the claw type clutch at one end of the shaft, a drive shaft, bearings for the drive shaft designed topermit a limited axial movement of the shaft from one limiting position to another limiting position, threads at one end of the shaft beyond the bearing at that end, a clutch element of the claw type clutch at the other end disposed to fully engage the clutch element on the load shaft when the drive shaft is in one of its limiting positions and to fully disengage the clutch element on the load shaft when the load shaft is in its other limiting position, a travelling nut on the threads of the drive shaft, a guide element, said nut having means to engage the guide element to thus move axially of the drive shaft, stops for said nut to limit the movement of the nut with reference to said guide element, Whereby said nut, as it moves from one stop to the other stop by reason of rotation of the drive shaft, produces no axial movement of the drive shaft but upon further rotation of the drive shaft moves said shaft from said one limiting position to said other limiting position to thus declutch the drive shaft from the load shaft, means set in operation at the instant the rectilinear acceleration of the machine begins, for accelerating said shafts and thus the flywheel from a condition of rest to a given relatively high speed in a given relatively short interval of time, said travelling nut assembly and means for accelerating the shafts being designed to effect the full rotary acceleration of said shafts and the subsequent declutching of said shafts while the rectilinear acceleration is still in progress.

4. In a machine which during normal use moves for a given distance from a condition of rest with rectilinear acceleration, in combination, a load shaft carrying a flywheel, bearings for the shaft designed to prevent axial movement of the shaft with reference to the bearings, a clutch element of the claw type clutch at one end of the shaft, a drive shaft, bearings for the drive shaft designed to permit a limited axial movement of the shaft from one limiting position to another limiting position, threads at one end of the shaft beyond the bearing at that end, a clutch element of the claw type clutch at the other end disposed to fully engage the clutch element on the load shaft when the drive shaft is in one of its-limiting positions and to fully disengage the clutch element on the load shaft when the load shaft is in its other limiting position, a travelling nut on the threads of the drive shaft, a guide element, said nut having means to engage the guide element to thus move axially of the drive shaft, stops for said nut to limit the movement of the nut with reference to said guide element, whereby said nut, as it. moves from one stop to the other stop by reason. of rotation of the drive shaft, produces no axial movement of the drive shaft but upon further rotation of the drive shaft moves said shaft from said one limiting position to said other limiting position to thus declutch the drive shaftfrom the load shaft, means set in operation at the instant the rectilinear acceleration of the machine begins, for accelerating said shafts and thus the flywheel from a condition of rest to a given relatively high speed in a given relatively short interval of time, said travelling nut assembly and means for accelerating the shafts being designed to effect the full rotary acceleration of said shafts and the subsequent declutching of said shafts while the rectilinear acceleration is still in progress, means for biasing said drive shaft toward the load shaft to maintain full engagement of the clutch elements while the nut travels both with reference to the stops and with reference to the drive shaft, said load shaft and drive shaft being so disposed with reference to the direction of the rectilinear acceleration that the inertia of the drive shaft does not alter the position of the drive shaft with reference to the load shaft;

5. In a machine which during normal use moves for a given distance from a condition of rest with rectilinear acceleration, in combination, aload shaft carrying a flywheel, bearings for the shaft designed to prevent axial movement of the shaft with reference to the bearings, a clutch element of the claw-type clutch at one end of the shaft, a drive shaft, bearings for the drive shaft designed to permit a limited axial movement of the shaft from one limiting position to another limiting position, threads at one end of the shaft beyond the bearing at that end, a clutch element of the claw type clutch at the other end disposed to fully engage the clutch element on the load shaft when the drive shaft is in one of its limiting positions and to fully disengage the clutch element on the load shaft when the load shaft is in its other limiting position, a travelling nut on the threads of the drive shaft, a guide element, said nut having means to engage the guide element to thus move axially of the drive shaft, stops for said nut to limit the movement of the nut with reference to said guide element, whereby said nut, as it moves from one stop to the other stop by reason of rotation of the drive shaft, produces no axial movement of the drive shaft but upon further rotation of the drive shaft moves said shaft from said one limiting position to said other limiting position to thus declutch the drive shaft from the load shaft, means set in operation at the instant the rectilinear acceleration of the machine begins, for accelerating said shafts and thus the flywheel from a condition of rest to a given relatively high speed in a given relatively short interval of time, said travelling nut assembly and means for accelerating the shafts being designed to effect the full rotary acceleration of said shafts and the subsequent declutching of said shafts while the rectilinear acceleration is still in progress, means for biasing said drive shaft toward the load shaft to maintain full engagement of the clutch elements while the nut movesboth with reference to the stops for the nut and with reference to the drive shaft.

6. In combination, a base, hearings in said base, a pair of rotatably mounted shafts each disposed in associated ones of saidbearings, a coupling having two elements, one element being mounted on one endof one of the shafts and the other element being mounted on the contiguous end of the other shaft, one shaft being mounted in its bearing to have limited axial movement, means for moving said one of the shafts axially to decouple the shafts within a given number of revolutions of said shafts and after a given number of revolutions of said shafts, means for rectilinearly accelerating said base and thus the shafts from a position of rest to a selected rectilinear speed, means on said base, set in operation the instant said rectilinear acceleration begins, for accelerating said shafts from a condition of rest to a predetermined rotary speed while said rectilinear acceleration of said base is still in progress, said means for moving the base to effect decoupling of the shafts being designed to complete its cycle of operation while the rectilinear acceleration of the base is still in progress.

7. In combination, a base, bearings in said base, a pair of rotatably mounted shafts each disposed in associated ones of said bearing, a coupling having two elements, one element being mounted on one end of one of the shafts and the other element being mounted on the contiguous end of the other shaft, one of said shafts having limited axial movement in said bearings, means for moving said one of the shafts axially to decouple the shafts within a given number of revolutions of said shafts and after a given number of revolutions of said shafts, means for rectilinearly accelerating said base and thus said shafts from a position of rest to a selected rectilinear speed, means on said base, set in operation the instant said rectilinear acceleration begins, for accelerating said shafts from a condi tion of rest to a predetermined rotary speed while said rectilinear acceleration of said base is still in progress, said means for moving the base to effect decoupling of the shafts being designed to complete its cycle of operation while the rectilinear acceleration of the base is still in progress, and manually operable means including clutch means for rotating said axially movable shaft to also axially move this shaft to recouple said shafts.

8. In combination, a base, bearings in said base, a pair of rotatably mounted shafts each disposed in associated ones of said bearings, a coupling having two elements, one element being mounted on one end of one of the shafts and the other element being mounted on the contiguous end of the other shaft, one of said shafts having limited axial movement in its bearings, means for moving said one of the shafts axially to decouple the shafts within a given number of revolutions of said shafts and after a given number of revolutions of said shafts, means for rectilinearly accelerating said base and thus said shafts from a position of rest to a selected rectilinear speed, means on said base, set in operation the instant said rectilinear acceleration begins, for accelerating said shafts from a condition of rest to a predetermined rotary speed while said rectilinear acceleration of said base is still in progress, said means for moving the base to effect decoupling of the shafts being designed to complete its cycle of operation while the rectilinear acceleration is still in progress, and means for axially moving said axially movable shaft to recouple said shafts after they may have been decoupled.

9. In a control for a torpedo, in combination, a source of electric energy in the torpedo, a gyro, a motor, having a large starting torque and high speed characteristic, coupled to the gyro, to thus be able to accelerate the gyro to full speed in a fraction of a secondless time than the launching period of the torpedo--a loop,

circuit, a normally closed switch, a normally open switch, said loop circuit including said motor, said switches, and said source of electric energy, means, operable the instant the torpedo begins to move during launching, for closing said normally open switch to thus connect the motor to said source of electric energy, and means operable after a selected relatively few motor revolutions for effecting the opening of the normally closed switch to disconnect the motor from the source of electric energy.

' 10. In a control for a torpedo, in combination, source of electric ener in the torp d a gyro,

a movable coupling, a motor, having a large starting torque and high speed characteristic, coupled to the gyro through said coupling, to thus be able to accelerate the gyro to full speed in a fraction of a second-less time than the launching period of the torpedo-a loop circuit, a normally closed switch, a normally open switch, said loop circuit including said motor, said switches, and said source of electric energy, means, operable the instant the torpedo begins to move during launching, for closing said normally open switch to thus connect the motor to said source of electric energy, means operable after a selected relatively few motor revolutions for effecting the opening of the normally closed switch to disconnect the motor from the source of electric energy, and means operable after a selected relatively few motor revolutions for uncoupling the gyro from the motor.

11. In a system of control, in combination, a base subject to linear acceleration in a given direction for a relatively short interval of time, ashaft disposed on the base with its axis in the direction of acceleration of the base and having limited axial movement on the base, motor means for rotatively accelerating the shaft, from a condition of rest with reference to the base, to a relatively high speed of rotation in an interval of time less than the linear accelerating time of said base, means for applying operating energy to said motor means the instant said base begins to accelerate, a load disposed at the aft end of the shaft, a coupling on the aft end of the shaft engaging said load, whereby the said linear acceleration of the base will not affect the coupling of the shaft to the load, a threaded extension on the forward end of the shaft, a traveling nut disposed on the threaded extension, a stop for the traveling nut near the forward end of the threaded extension, whereby said traveling nut, when in engagement with said stop, firmly holds said coupling in position so that the load remains coupled to the shaft, a second stop on the base disposed near the aft end of the threaded portion of the shaft, whereby said traveling nut upon rota-- tion of theshaft moves in the aft direction on the shaft for a selected number of rotations of the shaft until it engages the aft stop and then for another selected number of turns moves the shaft forward so that the coupling is operated to dis engage the load from the shaft.

12. In a system of control, in combination, a base subject to linear acceleration in a given direction for a relatively short interval of time, a shaft disposed on the base with its axis in the direction of acceleration of the base and having limited axial movement on the base, motor means for rotatively accelerating the shaft, from a condition of rest with reference to the base, to a relatively high speed of rotation in an interval of time less than the linear accelerating time of said base, means for applying operating energy to said motor means the instant said base begins to accelerate, a load disposed at the aft end of the shaft, a coupling on the aft end of the shaft engaging said load, whereby the said linear acceleration of the base will not affect the couplin of the shaft to the load, a threaded extension on the forward end of the shaft, a traveling nut disposed on the threaded extension, a stop for the traveling nut near the forward end of the threaded extension, whereby said traveling nut, when in engagement with said stop, firmly holds said coupling in position so that the load remains coupled to the shaft, a second stop on the base disposed nearer the aft end of the threaded portion of the shaft, whereby said traveling nut upon rotation of the shaft moves in the aft direction on the shaft for a selected number of rotations of the shaft until it engages the aft stop and then for another selected number of turns moves the shaft forward so that the coupling is operated to disengage the load from the shaft, and means operable by the initial forward movements of the shaft for interrupting the supply of operating energy to said motor means.

13. In a control for the motor driving the steering control gyro of a torpedo which torpedo in normal use is launched from a firing tube to full speed in a period of time between two-tenths second and three-tenths of a second, in combination, a shaft disposed in suitable bearings longitudinally of the torpedo, a gyro-wheel secured to a suitable rotatably mounted arbor interfitting jaw clutch means at the aft end of the shaft and forward end of the arbor to thus couple the gyro-wheel to the shaft, said shaft having limited axial movement in its bearings so that said jaw clutch means are in full engagement when the shaft is in its extreme aft position and are fully disengaged when the shaft is in its extreme forward position, a source of electric energy, a motor having an armature disposed on said axially movable shaft, said motor being designed to accelerate the shaft and gyrowheel in less time, by a small fraction of a second, than the launching time of the torpedo, means operable the instant the torpedo begins its axial acceleration during launching for connecting said motor to the source of energy, means operable after a selected number of shaft turns to disconnect the motor from the source of elec tric energy.

14. In a control for the motor driving the steering control gyro of a torpedo which torpedo in normal use is launched for a firing tube to full speed in a period of time between two-tenths second and three-tenths of a second, in combination, a shaft disposed in suitable bearings longitudinally of the torpedo, a gyro-Wheel secured to a suitable rotatably mounted arbor interfitting jaw clutch means at the aft end of the shaft and forward end of the arbor to thus couple the gyrowheel to the shaft, said shaft having limited axial movement in its bearings so that said jaw clutch means are in full engagement when the shaft is in its extreme aft position and are fully disenga-ged when the shaft is in its extreme forward position, a source of electric energy, a motor having an armature disposed on said axially movable shaft, said motor being designed to accelerate the shaft and gyro-wheel in less time, by a small frac tion of a second, than the launching time of the torpedo, means operable the instant the torpedo begins its axial acceleration during launching for connecting said motor to the source of energy, means operable after a selected number of shaft turns to disconnect the motor from the source of electric energy, and means operable after substantially the mentioned selected number of shaft turns for axially moving the shaft forward to uncouple the gyro-wheel from the shaft.

HENRY V. PUTMAN. MERRILL G. LEONARD. LOUIS. N. GRAFINGER. JOHN A. GUIDOSH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 925,710 Levitt June 22, 1904 983.467 Waldron Feb. 7, 1911 1,145,025 Leavitt July 6, 1915 1,204,852 Dieter Nov. 14, 1916 1,274,575 Midgley Aug. 6, 1918 1,327,132 Bendix Jan. 6, 1920 1,418,851 Trenor June 6, 1922 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 80,781 Austria June 25, 1920 95,885 Switzerland Aug. 16, 1922 

